New Slipknot Album: 10 Things The Band Need To Get Right

7. Experiment

The unexpected brilliance of Slipknot's Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses, was in its more daring and experimental tracks. Though the group continued to impress with their heavier songs, they also showed fans a side of themselves that few had seen, a more melodic, albeit equally bleak sound that took critics and fans by surprise. Through tracks like Vermillion and Circle, Slipknot managed to weave acoustic backings, clean vocals and soothing melodies into their tapestry of vehement resentment. The album's closing track, Danger €“ Keep Away, builds upon a disturbing synth leitmotif to deliver the band's darkest song to date, with nary a guitar in sight €“ a desolate, beautiful and audacious ending to an album that pushed the envelope for modern metal. Slipknot need to maintain this level of variety in their music if their upcoming album is to be successful. Furthermore, the group need to avoid the kind of experimentation that led to tracks like Snuff on their last LP, which saw the writers of People=Shit deliver a pathetically soppy power ballad, laden with lines like "I still press your letters to my lips, and cherish them in parts of me that savour every kiss". With a talented DJ in the form of Sid Wilson, and the proven sampler and keyboardist, Craig Jones, the band are well placed to continue the development of their sound, so there's no good reason why they shouldn't deliver on that aspect with their new release.